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The Sun
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
Steer your way to a top motoring career with new national programme as EVs fuel demand for new skills in sector
STEER your career along with a job in the auto trade. With the Government ramping up the switch to electric vehicles by offering a new £3,750 grant, announced this week, the industry urgently needs new talent. The Institute Of The Motor Industry says the sector faces a double challenge: An exodus of experienced professionals coupled with demand for thousands of staff with future-ready skills. An estimated 144,000 workers are expected to retire by 2032 — equivalent to 19 per cent of the entire sector's workforce — and there are already 17,000 vacancies that firms are struggling to fill. Alongside this, the transition to EVs and increasingly sophisticated Advanced Driver Assistance Systems means staff need to be not just mechanically competent but digitally skilled too. Industry experts predict a shortfall of 3,000 EV-trained vehicle technicians by 2031. However, despite holding Level 2 or 3 automotive qualifications, many newly qualified students have been unable to secure a role due to a lack of work experience. To help get Britain motoring again, three big players in the sector, the School Of Thought Automotive, the Institute of the Motor Industry and Autotech Academy, have come together to launch the national Automotive Work Experience programme. For the first time, students aged 16 and under can now get proper, hands-on work experience placements through the IMI Jobs site. A spokeswoman said: 'The automotive sector must attract a new generation of talent to remain in step with technological innovation. 'Collaboration across the industry is vital to achieve this and to highlight the immense career opportunities available in automotive.' 'Perception gap' It is hoped that the work experience programme will also tackle misconceptions about the sector. A recent BBC Bitesize survey found the automotive industry didn't feature in the top career aspirations for 13 to 16-year-olds — yet Tesla ranked as the eighth most desirable company to work for globally. A spokeswoman added: 'This disconnect highlights a serious perception gap. Young people still see automotive as a 'dirty trade' when, in reality, it's one of the most tech-driven, innovative industries out there.' The scheme's backers are also appealing for more firms to come forward to offer work experience. Participating businesses receive work experience packs with guidance on structuring placements, safety protocols and pupil support. To apply for work experience you can visit Businesses can also offer work placements at schoolofthoughtauto -register. 3 CAMERON BELL, 23, is a service technician at Stoneacre Motor Group in Gateshead and got his role through work experience. Cameron, from County Durham, said: 'Getting your foot in the door is the hardest part. Despite completing Level 2 and 3 qualifications at college, I kept hearing I needed experience but no one was willing to give me a chance. 'When I spotted an internship opportunity, I went for it. That's what finally got me into the workshop and doing the job I'd trained for. 'The industry is fast-changing, future-facing, and full of opportunities. If you like working with your hands and your head, this is a great place to be.' GUIDE TO FUTURE 3 VOLUNTEERING is a great way to boost your CV – and even more fun with a puppy. Guide Dogs will be at more than 40 events being held by UK Careers Fairs nationwide, where attendees will be able to meet members of the charity – and their dogs – to learn how they can get involved. Emma Brown, Local Volunteering Attraction Officer at Guide Dogs, said: 'Volunteering can help people develop skills which are transferable to the workplace.' Full training is provided for all volunteer roles and the charity also covers pre-agreed expenses. Guide Dogs will attend the careers events at locations from Glasgow to Truro. Find out more at ALL MUST TRY A.I. SMALL firms risk getting left behind in the AI arms race. Research shows only 37 per cent of small and medium-sized businesses say they have the skills to take advantage of AI opportunities, with micro businesses and sole traders the least confident in their abilities. The study from the Institute Of Coding found only 27 per cent of SME bosses feel confident about overseeing AI tools effectively, while just 12 per cent have invested in AI-related training for staff. Director, Rachid Hourizi, said: 'This isn't just about individual business success, it's about ensuring the entire UK economy can participate in the AI transformation.' Upskill for free at instituteof ACE THE 'SECRET' JOB TEST 3 YOU have polished your CV, practised your answers and arrived early. But according to hiring experts, the moment that makes or breaks your interview often happens before a single official question is asked. Here, recruitment specialist Sharon Armstrong, from Armstrong Appointments, reveals her five top tips to ace the 'hidden interview'. She says: 'People think the interview starts when we start asking questions but, in reality, we're assessing you from the moment we meet you. 'The way you enter a room, how you greet us and what you say in those first 30 seconds gives away more than a polished answer ever could.' 1. Be aware of hidden questions: These are usually something like: 'Did you find us OK?' or, 'How was your journey?'. It feels like small talk but it is one of the first things interviewers use to assess how you think, how you carry yourself, and how you handle pressure. Most candidates don't even realise they are being evaluated. 2. How to handle hidden questions: These early moments reveal your mindset. A short, polite, upbeat response shows composure and preparation. A flustered or negative reply, even unintentionally, suggests stress, disorganisation or poor self-awareness. Say: 'All fine, thanks. I always leave a bit early just in case' to show initiative. 3. The coffee cup test: If you are offered a drink, what do you do with it after? This moment often shows manners, initiative and how considerate you are. 4. Receptionist reports: Some interviewers ask reception staff for their impression. Were you polite? Friendly? On time? It is a quiet but powerful piece of feedback.
CNET
6 days ago
- Automotive
- CNET
Last Call for the $7,500 EV Tax Credit: It Expires in September
Car dealers are always advertising that now is the best time to buy, but if you're in the market for an electric vehicle, now might actually be the best time to buy. The reason: Congress voted to pull the plug early on a massive tax incentive that could save buyers up to $7,500 on new EVs. Instead of expiring in 2032, the tax break now ends Sept. 30 of this year. An EV you buy in October or later won't qualify. The move by congressional Republicans and signed by President Donald Trump was designed to help pay for the continuation of tax cuts from Trump's first term, which some say are most helpful for the wealthiest taxpayers. Congress gutted a host of clean-energy tax breaks in the bill Trump signed on July 4, essentially repealing much of the Inflation Reduction Act passed under President Joe Biden. With the EV credit expiring mid-year, it sets up a weird 2025 for an auto industry that also faces potential challenges from Trump's tariff policy. Thanks to international supply chains for parts and materials, this is likely to increase the cost of cars and trucks even if they're assembled in the US. If you're in the market for an EV, that means you might want to think a little more closely about your buying schedule. "My ordinary advice for everyone all the time is don't be in a big hurry, take your time and make a careful decision," Sean Tucker, lead editor at Kelley Blue Book, told me. "This is the one circumstance where you might want to be in a big hurry." It makes sense that EV sales are at a record pace through the first six months of the year, according to KBB data, and the end of the tax credit could lead to a third-quarter boom, with the bottom falling out in the fourth quarter. Watch this: Optimizing Your EV's Efficiency Is Easier Than You Think 07:14 What is the EV tax credit? Right now, the federal government provides a credit of up to $7,500 for a new electric vehicle, plug-in hybrid or fuel cell electric vehicle. The credit is split into two equal parts, with a $3,750 credit each if the vehicle meets requirements for the sourcing of materials for the battery components and critical materials. Because of those requirements, only a handful of vehicles qualify. You do need to meet some income limits -- you can't have taxable income above $150,000 if you file individually, $300,000 if you're married filing jointly or $225,000 if you file as head of household. There's also a credit for used EVs equivalent to 30% of the sales price up to $4,000. The list of qualifying vehicles here is more extensive, but the used EV market is also a lot smaller than the new EV market. Although that has been changing -- more than 100,000 used EVs were sold in the US in the second quarter of the year, compared with more than 300,000 new EVs, according to KBB data. To get the credit, you can either claim it on your tax return the following year or you can transfer the credit to the dealer so they can apply it to your purchase cost. That second option has become more popular since it's easier and reduces your up-front cost. You can also get the credit on leased vehicles. Dealerships are very familiar with applying credits toward leased EVs, Tucker said. Should I buy an EV now before the credit ends? The most important part of deciding whether to buy a car is to buy one when you're ready to. Don't rush into a big purchase just because a tax credit is ending. The fact is that EVs are coming down in price and are often similar, when you consider the total cost of ownership, to the price of a gasoline-powered car. You should also consider that not every EV qualifies for this credit anyway -- the one you're eyeing might not see any change in pricing, at least not due to the credit expiring. (Tariffs are another issue.) But the end of the credit does mean dealers will likely be looking to reduce their stock of electric cars by the end of September. That means if you're in the market and you're eyeing one of the qualifying vehicles, you may want to move to make a purchase before October, Tucker said. There could be more strategy at play. Tucker suggested looking at dealers that have significant stocks of EVs, which may offer steeper discounts to get them off the lots before the prices go up. The best time to buy might be mid- or late September, right before the credit ends, to get the best deal possible. "If I tell you it's your last chance to save $7,500 on something, that's a sentence you don't hear very often," Tucker said. Don't let this moment overwhelm other good car-buying advice, though. Tucker advises that one of the best ways to get a good deal is to buy a vehicle that's right for you most of the time, even if it doesn't necessarily meet every possible scenario you can think of. Do you really need a third row of seating if you'll only use it when company is in town? Do you need a big pickup truck if you're mostly just hauling yourself to the office? CNET's auto expert, Antuan Goodwin, suggests reevaluating your car-buying goals to save money. For example, Goodwin says, instead of a top-tier model, consider a mid-trim level with only the features you truly need. You can also consider low-mileage, pre-owned cars or leasing as alternatives to buying new. "If going electric would stretch your budget, exploring combustion alternatives like plug-in or traditional hybrids are good compromises," Goodwin said. "That's mostly because I don't want to dissuade anyone who's 'set on going electric' from doing so, but for someone on the fence, alternatives exist."
Free Malaysia Today
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Free Malaysia Today
Honda forecasts 70% net profit drop citing ‘tariff impact'
Honda said it expected net profit of US$1.7 billion in the 12 months to March 2026. (EPA Images pic) TOKYO : Japan's Honda Motor forecast a 70% drop in net profit for the 2025-2026 financial year as US trade tariffs weigh on the global auto industry. The announcement comes after rival Toyota, the world's top-selling carmaker, predicted a 35% year-on-year drop in annual net profit because of the levies and other factors. Honda said it expected net profit of ¥250 billion (US$1.7 billion) in the 12 months to March 2026. 'Tariff impact and recovery efforts' will have a negative effect on operating profit, it warned, estimating they will cost the company around ¥450 billion over the year. In an attempt to rev up the US auto industry, President Donald Trump last month imposed a 25% toll on imported vehicles, dealing a major blow to Japanese carmakers. 'The impact of tariff policies in various countries on our business has been very significant, and frequent revisions are being made, making it difficult to formulate an outlook,' CEO Toshihiro Mibe told reporters today. Mibe said Honda would examine the impact of US tariffs on supply chains and 'carefully' make any decisions on pricing changes. Honda, Japan's second-biggest automaker after Toyota, logged net profit of ¥835 billion in the past financial year, a drop of almost 25% on-year and well short of its February forecast of ¥950 billion. 'Our automobile business experienced a decline in sales volume mainly in China and the Asean region', in Southeast Asia,' Mibe said. It was also 'impacted by increased incentives for electric vehicle (EV) sales in North America', although 'hybrid vehicle sales expanded'. 'However, Honda may still have a better chance of weathering Trump's tariff onslaught than its competitors in Japan,' analysts said. Late last month Trump softened the auto tariffs by signing an executive order to limit the impact of overlapping levies on carmakers. He also said he would give the industry a two-year grace period to move supply chains back to the US. This is good news for Honda, which builds more than 60% of the vehicles it sells in the US in the country. That is 'the highest percentage' of all major Japanese automakers, Bloomberg Intelligence auto analyst Tatsuo Yoshida told AFP ahead of the results. 'That means the impact from tariffs will be 'comparatively smaller for Honda',' he added. Also today, Honda said it would postpone by two years a project announced last month to establish an EV supply chain in Canada. 'The postponement was due to 'flagging EV demand', with the resumption of the project possible depending on how market trends develop,' the company said.
Malay Mail
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Honda braces for 70pc profit plunge, blames Trump's tariff drive
TOKYO, May 13 — Japan's Honda Motor on Tuesday forecast a 70 per cent drop in net profit for the 2025-26 financial year as US trade tariffs weigh on the global auto industry. The announcement comes after rival Toyota, the world's top-selling carmaker, predicted a 35 per cent year-on-year drop in annual net profit because of the levies and other factors. Honda said it expected net profit of ¥250 billion (RM7.3 billion) in the 12 months to March 2026. 'Tariff impact and recovery efforts' will have a negative effect on operating profit, it warned, estimating they will cost the company around ¥450 billion over the year. In an attempt to rev up the US auto industry, President Donald Trump last month imposed a 25 per cent toll on imported vehicles, dealing a major blow to Japanese carmakers. 'The impact of tariff policies in various countries on our business has been very significant, and frequent revisions are being made, making it difficult to formulate an outlook,' CEO Toshihiro Mibe told reporters Tuesday. Honda, Japan's second-biggest automaker after Toyota, logged net profit of ¥835 billion in the past financial year, a drop of almost 25 per cent on-year and well short of its February forecast of ¥950 billion. 'Our automobile business experienced a decline in sales volume mainly in China and the Asean region' in South-east Asia, Mibe said. It was also 'impacted by increased incentives for EV sales in North America', although 'hybrid vehicle sales expanded'. But Honda may still have a better chance of weathering Trump's tariff onslaught than its competitors in Japan, analysts said. Late last month Trump softened the auto tariffs by signing an executive order to limit the impact of overlapping levies on carmakers. He also said he would give the industry a two-year grace period to move supply chains back to the United States. This is good news for Honda, which builds more than 60 per cent of the vehicles it sells in the United States in the country. That is 'the highest percentage' of all major Japanese automakers, Bloomberg Intelligence auto analyst Tatsuo Yoshida told AFP ahead of the results. That means the impact from tariffs will be 'comparatively smaller for Honda', he added. — AFP
